"Post surgical feedback"

My Partner recently required 4 visits on subsequent days to The Sydney Eye Hospital. 5, 3, 8.5 hours respectively and on the fourth after 5 hours was taken up to the operating theater. We were aware it was a public hospital and the referral centre for the state and accepted the wait.

On the 3 previous days they advised us to bring an overnight bag as once my partner was treated they would need to stay overnight.

I cannot fault the medical staff at all, particularly the surgeons Charbel and Jessica when with us they were thorough in their investigations, and explained clearly as the situation appeared to get more complicated. The nurses on the 2 days we spent in the day clinic waiting for surgery, Musra(?spelling) the nurse was particularly supportive especially as both days were such long waits.

On the post op ward Chris was also very attentive and supportive. He explained clearly what we needed to do to ensure a healthy recovery.

My disappointment in the whole system was the bed manager who arrived on the pre op ward just prior to the surgery to announce there was no bed and we were to ‘tell the surgeon you want to go home after’.

I stated that I thought this was inappropriate and I wanted the doctor to make the decision and tell us to go home because my partner was well enough, not because there was no bed. I failed to understand how each previous visits we were told by medical staff to be prepared to stay the night but a bed clerk could decide we wouldn’t.

Later another receptionist came and told us we would be going home, I said I wanted to speak to the surgeon before I agreed to take partner home after surgery. As the receptionist had a phone to their ear they said did I want to talk to the person for whom they were relating the message. I said yes. The phone was not passed over to me.

I said to them I needed someone to advocate for us.

Nothing more was said and I was suggested I go to have something to eat while my partner went into surgery.

My absolute praise goes to Ilona (‘?correct spelling) on the first floor ward. I was visibly distressed, trying not to cry, about taking my partner home and the risk to my partner's vision. She was fantastic, as I asked for someone to talk to regarding my concerns. She said immediately ‘you can talk to me’. She sat me down in a waiting room and went to find out what she could. When I asked her to just listen to me and my concerns she did.

When she went back out to talk to staff at the nurses desk, I recall another staff member was speaking to her loudly and aggressively. Ilona appeared to be pretty good at standing up to this person's behavior. I do not know what they were talking about, but it was loud, and late evening with post op clients on the ward.

I stand with hospitals and their signs stating they won't tolerate aggressive behaviour. But it appeared hospital staff do not treat each other with the same respect.

We did go home that night as the surgeon did come and speak with us and tell us the surgery was less complicated than expected, and it would be safe for my partner's recovery to do so.

The distress caused by the bed allocation clerical staff, and the disappointment with the manner the other staff member spoke to Ilona are the two situations I would like to see addressed.